Use of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide in lymph node MR imaging in prostate cancer patients

A macrophage-specific magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent allows the detection of small and otherwise undetectable lymph node metastases in patients with prostate cancer. This has an important clinical impact, as the diagnosis will be more precise and less invasive to obtain. Subsequently, this will reduce morbidity and health care costs. However, thorough knowledge of sequence parameters and planes, lymph node anatomy, appearance of normal and abnormal nodes, is essential when using this technique. This will be elaborated in this review. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.